


Nothing Without You

by Katybug1992



Series: Tumblr Prompts [95]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types
Genre: foster brother au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-20 08:38:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19373134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katybug1992/pseuds/Katybug1992
Summary: Race leaves for college and Jack is struggling with it.





	Nothing Without You

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a quote from West Wing

It had been an emotional day.  Racer, his little brother, the one member of the family who always kept it together whenever things seemed to be falling apart, had left for Yale and Jack didn’t know how to handle that.  He and Crutchie had practically raised their little brother, Denton helping after he adopted the three of them, their little brother whose curiosity fueled his desire to learn which had propelled him to the top of his class at the best school in Manhattan.

 

He walked into Racer’s now stripped down room, all signs of his personality packed into the boxes that had been loaded into Denton’s car.  Jack sat down on the mattress, not turning toward the door when Crutchie entered and took a seat next to him.

 

“It seems like yesterday, ya know?” Jack finally spoke.

 

“I do.” Crutchie nodded, “Do you remember when Denton first brought us home?”

 

“Yeah,” Jack let out a breathy chuckle, “Tony was the only one of the three of us who warmed up to Denton right away.”

 

“Perks of being a toddler.” Crutchie laughed.  

 

“I can’t believe he did it.” Jack shook his head with a grin, “He spent so many years talking about going to Yale and he actually did it.”

 

“I’m not surprised,” Crutchie grinned, “He was always so stubborn.  Never met a challenge he couldn’t beat.”

 

Before Jack could reply, his phone chimed with a text.

 

**Racer** : Check the bedside drawer.

 

Jack started at the text for a moment before pulling open the drawer and taking out Racer’s well-worn copy of “Gone With the Wind”.

 

“Why would he leave that?” Crutchie asked, face scrunching up in confusion.  That was one of Tony’s favorite books, one he would have brought with him.

 

“I don’t know.” Jack’s voice was soft as he moved his fingers over the cover and carefully opened it, a piece of paper falling out from between the pages.

 

Picking it up, he read the words, written in Racer’s flowing handwriting, “ J and C, nothing without you.”

 

And that’s all it took for the tears to come Jack’s eyes, Crutchie’s vision turning misty as well as he read the note.

 

“We did well.” Jack finally spoke, “He’s an incredibly brilliant, good human.”

 

“Well, Denton helped a little.” Crutchie laughed.

 

“I’m framing this.” Jack grinned, “That way I always have it saved for when he’s being a little shit.”

 

Crutchie scoffed and stood up, pulling Jack from the room and talking a mile a minute about what they should order for dinner, anything to distract them from how quiet the apartment was without their little brother.  Their little brother who was going to take the world by storm.


End file.
